Legislation / Legal
ScotGov: Climate Change Minister Stewart Stevenson has lodged an amendment to the Climate Change Bill that will set the interim target for Greenhouse Gas emissions at 42%. In its December 2008 report - Building a Low Carbon Economy: the UK's Contribution to Tackling Climate Change - the UK Committee on Climate Change advised that the appropriate targets for reducing greenhouse emissions for the UK should be a 34% reduction by 2020 relative to 1990 levels and 42% once a global deal to reduce emissions is achieved.
The Committee also identified the indicative potential Scotland holds to contribute to these UK targets. The Committee's independent advice, combined with additional analysis by the Scottish Government, formed the basis for the Government's Climate Change Delivery Plan. This Plan sets out what is needed if Scotland is to achieve its ambitious emission reduction targets.
Press release ~ Climate Change Bill ~ Building a Low Carbon Economy - the UK's Contribution to Tackling Climate Change ~ Climate Change Delivery Plan
Wales Office: All Welsh MPs will be given the opportunity to debate the proposed Welsh Language Order from the Welsh Assembly Government at a full meeting of the Welsh Grand Committee, Secretary of State for Wales Peter Hain has announced.
A Welsh Grand Debate on the Welsh Affairs Committee report on the Welsh Language Order, expected for publication in the next fortnight, will be held on Wednesday, 8 July 2009, to allow MPs to fully debate the content & scope of the Order and its proposed impact on Wales, particularly Welsh business and industry.
Press release ~ Welsh Affairs Committee ~ National Assembly for Wales (Legislative Competence) (Welsh Language) Order 2009 ~ Legislative Competence Orders
DCMS: The Holocaust (Return of Cultural Objects) Bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 26 January and had its 3rd Reading and Report Stage on 26 June 2009. This is a Private Member’s Bill that the Government is supporting.
It will give the governing bodies of the national institutions named in the Bill a power to transfer an object from their collection and return it to the claimant, provided that the Spoliation Advisory Panel recommends return and Ministers agree, thus putting them on the same footing as other museums which can make such returns.
Press release ~ Commission for Looted Art in Europe – International principles ~ Holocaust (Return of Cultural Objects) Bill ~ Spoliation Advisory Panel
ScotGov: The Scottish Government's legislation to tackle climate change has been passed by MSPs in the Parliament. The Bill sets a target of reducing emissions by 80% by 2050, including emissions from international aviation and shipping. It also sets an interim target for a 42% cut in emissions by 2020. More than 21,000 responses were received to the Scottish Government's consultation on a draft Climate Change Bill.
Press release ~ Climate Change Bill ~ Climate Change Delivery Plan ~ Building a Low Carbon Economy - the UK's Contribution to Tackling Climate Change
HO: The £4m Community Cashback scheme will be funded by money & assets seized from wealthy criminal kingpins. The public will be able to choose which worthwhile community projects are funded by feeding in their views to a new dedicated website, neighbourhood policing meetings or through Citizens Panels.
Successful bids will have to show how the local community has been involved in selecting the project, demonstrate good value for money and be related in some way to tackling antisocial or criminal behaviour locally. Local Criminal Justice Boards will able to submit bids up to a total value of £95,000
Until now money recovered from criminals has been split between frontline services, such as the police and Government departments involved with the criminal justice system. This is the first time a portion of that money is being paid back into communities. The Community Cashback Fund is a pilot scheme for 09/10 - a decision will be made later in the financial year on how best to take this commitment forward.
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